This Cucumber Dill Canapé recipe is one of my favorite cucumber hors d’ouevres of all time! It’s an incredibly flavorful, delicious bite. And cucumber canapés are oh-so-pretty!
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I made these adorable, delicious cucumber canapés for the very first party I ever catered, way back in 1996. (Oh my!) And they were on almost every menu of every party I catered thereafter.
What is a Canapé?
- A canapé is described as a small piece of bread or pastry with a savory topping.
- There are usually three components: the base (bread), and spread (for flavor and to protect the base), and a main ingredient on top.
- They are typically bite-sized, and are commonly served with drinks at a cocktail party or formal party.
This Cucumber Dill Canapé recipe is always crowd pleaser! They’re light, refreshing, pretty, and packed with flavor — and all in one bite!
Everyone loves them! Really, everyone!
Back in my catering days, before my husband and kids, making hundreds of these at once was no big deal.
I barely keep my head above water some days now, with the kids’ busy schedule, so making a few dozen is often a big deal.
You can easily break down the steps for these cucumber hors d’oeuvres — so party day is relaxing!
This way it’s fun and easy — and so worth the effort!
How to make Cucumber-Dill Canapés in stages, ahead of time . . .
- Make the dill spread up to 3 days ahead.
- Prepare the cucumber slices the night before.
- Assemble the canapés up to about 8 hours ahead. (Just keep all the components chilled until you’re ready to make them.)
Just look at ’em!
You want these at your next party! Whether you’re throwing a big cocktail party, or a small dinner party for four, Cucumber Dill Canapés are the perfect way to start the meal.
Making the Cucumber Dill Canapé recipe is actually a bit of a meditation for me. It becomes relaxing to assemble them, and they’ll make you so happy.
These round cutters are a must for this recipe, and they are one of those kitchen items I couldn’t live without!
You can get them here.
You might be thinking you live just fine without round cutters. 😉 And I’m sure you do!
However, if you want to make these fabulous cucumber hors d’oeuvres that everyone will fall in love with, then . . . you won’t be able to live without them either.
I love making these when I’m bringing something to a cocktail party, and they’re ideal for almost every holiday party.
Or . . . . here’s another idea — you can simply slice cucumbers and put them into a sandwich with this spread recipe. More deliciousness!
Oh, and if you’re having a cocktail party with a bunch of small bites, cucumber hors d’oeuvres always pair really well with my Wasabi Glazed Seared Ahi Tuna Bites and Ginger Garlic Dumplings.
Enjoy each and every Cucumber Dill Canapé! The process of making them and eating them.
If you try these delicious bites, or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think about them in the comments below. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more of my mouth-watering recipes!
UPDATE 2018: This recipe was originally published in 2011, and has been updated with new photographs.
This Cucumber Dill Canapé is one of my favorite cucumber hors d'ouevres of all time! It's an incredibly flavorful, delicious bite.
- 2 English cucumbers (a bit larger than 1-3/4-inch diameter)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 bunch fresh dill (about 1 ounce)
- salt and cayenne pepper to taste
- 9 slices whole grain or white sandwich bread
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To prepare the cucumbers, slice each one into approximately 18 slices -- about 1/4 to 1/2-inches wide -- and place them flat on a cutting surface. Using a 1-3/4-inch round cutter, cut the skin off each cucumber slice.
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Then, using a 1-inch round cutter, cut a hole in the middle of each slice to remove the seeds and create a space for the dill mixture later.
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Wrap the prepared cucumbers in plastic wrap and refrigerate them until you are ready to assemble the canapés. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Remove 4 sprigs of dill and set them aside in the refrigerator for the garnish.
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To make the dill spread, use a food processor to blend the cheese with the butter, mustard, lemon juice, and the remaining dill. Blend until the dill is very finely chopped and the mixture is very smooth. Season generously to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. Blend the mixture one last time to be sure all of the ingredients are incorporated.
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Use a small, off-set spatula to spread a thin, even layer of the dill spread onto one surface of each slice of bread. Place the remaining dill spread in a zip-lock bag and cut a tiny bit off of one of its bottom corners. Set aside, keeping the bag at room temperature.
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Using the same 1-3/4-inch round cutter that you used for the cucumbers, cut about 4 rounds out of each slice of dill-spread-covered bread, placing them on the parchment-covered baking sheet. You might need to gently press the center of each round with your finger to release it from the cutter.
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Place one cucumber slice on each round of bread. Then use the zip-lock bag with the remaining dill spread to fill each hole in the cucumber slices. To smooth the top, use a bit of water on your fingertip. For the garnish, use the dill you set aside -- break off tiny sprigs and add them to the center of each canapé. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
If you don't have a food processor, simply blend all of the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with a spoon and finely chop the dill before you add it.
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Had a few of these at the FBLA meeting last weekend. They were excellent.
Thanks, Gisele! 🙂 Great to see you.
These look soooooooo yummy!!!!! I love it. And i LOOOOOOOVE your cookie cutters!
thank you Amee! 🙂 I use these cutters all the time!
Valentina – not only are these beautiful – they taste amazing. Light, fresh and satifying. No wonder they were so popular during your catering days! Love them – I even snag a couple for my husband to try. Delish!
Thanks so much Quyen! 🙂
Wanted to comment on these the day I saw the post on my reader. They look gorgeous! I love that they’re “tea party” appropriate without even being a sandwich!
Thank you so much, Shef! Truly appreciated! 🙂
Oh yes – this is my kind of canape! Wonder if we can come up with a variation on this for Trufflepalooza IV in July? Will you help me brainstorm?
See you at Camp Blogaway in a few weeks, if not before! xoxoxoxo
I’ll be brainstorming, Erika! Looking forward to seeing you soon! xo
Oh my gawd these were so delicious at the party. Am spreading the word.
Thank so much, Judy! XO
I love how you cut these. Very beautiful and perfect for my next tea.
Thanks, Cathy! You would make them even prettier!
These look wonderful! Believe me when I say I am making them for 2 dinner parties this week! Both are small, so I bet one batch will be plenty for both, and they are especially appealing because they can be made in advance! xo, d
Thanks, David. I hope you love them and that the guests do too. I’ve never not had them be a hit! 🙂
These canape are so pretty! I don’t think I could have figured out how they are made without your photos and instructions. Amazing!
Thanks, Amy. So happy the instructions are helpful. 🙂 Enjoy!
These are so pretty! I adore cucumber sandwiches and I love that these are all the great flavors of those sandwiches, with a super elegant presentation!
Thank you Elizabeth! Hope you try them! 🙂
Refreshing, easy to make and they look great too. Perfect for the holidays when the house is full of family and friends!
They are refreshing, and satisfying all at once! Thank you! 🙂
I love the flavour of dill, and imagine these tasty little bites are quite refreshing to the palate.
Thank you, Helen! 🙂
Lovely !
What could be a good substitut for cream cheese ? I can’t have dairy.
Thanks !
Hi Amelie, To keep the look the same, I would use something like Daiya cream cheese which non dairy. I haven’t used it, but I think it would work well. You can omit the butter in the recipe and compensate with more of the cream cheese (the non dairy cream cheese, that is). If you didn’t mind a totally different look, you could make a pesto of sorts with the dill. Let me know if you want more info on that. I hope it works out well. Thanks for checking out the recipe and happy holiday season! 🙂
Valentina, I love your well-used set of pastry cutters and your right, everyone should own a set. If your cutters could only talk! And, your Cucumber-Dill Canapé will certainly be loved over this way as we’re huge lovers of cucumbers. Thanks for sharing and have a Happy New Year.
Thanks so much, Ron. I SO wish my cutters could talk. They’ve been through so many parties! I wish you and yours a very Happy New Year! 🙂
What fun! And the cucumber middles could always become a salad…. I really love this idea. And so festive as well. Happy New Year!
Thanks so much Mimi! I LOVE the idea of a salad from the middles. We usually just snack on them, but a salad would be so pretty! Happy New Year! 🙂
Love this idea and might just use it for a variety of spreads – think how beautiful that would be! You are brilliant. Happy New Year!
Wishing you and Mark a very Happy 2019! Here’s to many more delicious recipes and great stories. 🙂 Thanks for all of your support always. ~Valentina
How could anyone not love these bites? They look so delicious.
Thank so much, Jeff! Wishing you a very Happy New Year! 🙂
The pictures are beautiful. In Quebec our English cucumbers are very thin. Can I substitute with a regular cucumber?
Thank you !
Hi Sue, yes you absolutely can. They tend to have more seeds, but they’ll still be wonderful. Enjoy and thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂
Ooooh, the perfect tea sandwich! I absolutely love this idea, Valentina! They are just lovely. I also like the different options to vary the flavors. Must do this for my next tea party!
Why thank you! They are my favorite “one-bite” hors d’oeuvre, and perfect for tea parties!